--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I recently consulted to a therapist who…" description: "\"“I recently consulted to a therapist who felt he had accomplished something by getting his dissociative client to remain in her ANP throughout her sess..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d7/alison-miller-20257_abuse_i-recently-consulted-to-a-therapist-who_1133328.jpg" --- # I recently consulted to a therapist who felt he had… ![“I recently consulted to a therapist who felt he had accomplished something by getting his dissociative client to remain in her ANP throughout her sessions with him. His view reflects the fundamental mistake that untrained therapists tend to make with DID and DDNOS. Although his client was properly…” quote by Alison Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d7/alison-miller-20257_abuse_i-recently-consulted-to-a-therapist-who_1133328.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d7/alison-miller-20257_abuse_i-recently-consulted-to-a-therapist-who_1133328.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d7/alison-miller-20257_abuse_i-recently-consulted-to-a-therapist-who_1133328.jpg) > ““I recently consulted to a therapist who felt he had accomplished something by getting his dissociative client to remain in her ANP throughout her sessions with him. His view reflects the fundamental mistake that untrained therapists tend to make with DID and DDNOS. Although his client was properly diagnosed, he assumed that the ANP should be encouraged to take charge of the other parts at all times. He also expected her to speak for them—in other words, to do their therapy. This denied the other parts the opportunity to reveal their secrets, heal their pain, or correct their childhood-based beliefs about the world. If you were doing family therapy, would it be a good idea to only meet with the father, especially if he had not talked with his children or his spouse in years? Would the other family members feel as if their experiences and feelings mattered? Would they be able to improve their relationships? You must work with the parts who are inside of the system. Directly.”” [Alison Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-miller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Therapists should engage all parts of a DID system rather than focusing solely on the dominant personality, to foster integration and healing. **In simple terms:** Treat all parts, not just the main one. Key Takeaway Work with every system part. Themes psychology therapy DID integration holistic care Mood thoughtful empathetic clinical Type educational practical When to use this quote - Clinical supervision - patient intake - family therapy - trauma-informed workshops - case consultation Key Concepts Systems theory part work trauma healing clinical practice Questions to Reflect On - How can therapists balance part autonomy with integration? - What methods ensure each part feels heard? A Different Perspective Risk of overgeneralizing to all dissociative disorders. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Consulted Therapist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consulted-therapist-3124544/) [Ddnos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ddnos/) [Diagnosis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diagnosis/) [Dissociative Client](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dissociative-client-3124545/) [Dissociative-identity-disorder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dissociative-identity-disorder/) [Errors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/errors/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Family members](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family-members/) [Family Therapy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family-therapy-1059656/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Healing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/healing/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Mpd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mpd/) [Multiple personality disorder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/multiple-personality-disorder/) [Psychiatry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychiatry/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Psychotherapy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychotherapy/) [Ritual-abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ritual-abuse/) [Secrets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secrets/) [Teamwork](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teamwork/) [Therapist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/therapist/) [Therapist Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/therapist-felt-3124547/) [Therapy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/therapy/) [Therapy Denied](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/therapy-denied-3124546/) [Trauma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trauma/) ## Related quotes > [I consulted a therapist at Mass. General. After about 20 minutes, he stopped me and said, 'You're just a big existential garbage pail. Go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spalding-gray/i-consulted-a-therapist-at-mass-general-after-about-20-minutes-he/) [Spalding Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spalding-gray/) > [“What daily life is like for “a multiple” Imagine that you have periods of “lost time.” You may find writings or drawings which you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-miller/what-daily-life-is-like-for-a-multiple-imagine-that-you-have-periods/) [Alison Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-miller/) > [“It appears that DDNOS is the intentional goal of these abusers, but DID sometimes results from a failure of programming. In DDNOS, the ANP…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-miller/it-appears-that-ddnos-is-the-intentional-goal-of-these-abusers-but/) [Alison Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-miller/) > [“Although it is important to be able to recognise and disclose symptom of physical illnesses or injury, you need to be more careful about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-miller/although-it-is-important-to-be-able-to-recognise-and-disclose-symptom/) [Alison Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-miller/) > [“Many ritually abusive cults deliberately divide the personality system down the middle of the head, making sure that there is no communication between the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-miller/many-ritually-abusive-cults-deliberately-divide-the-personality/) [Alison Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-miller/) > [“Those who are aware of their condition and experience themselves as "multiple" might refer to themselves as "we" rather than "I." I shall use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-miller/those-who-are-aware-of-their-condition-and-experience-themselves-as/) [Alison Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-miller/) > [“Denial is commonly found among persons with dissociative disorders. My favorite quotation from such a client is, "We are not multiple, we made it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-miller/denial-is-commonly-found-among-persons-with-dissociative-disorders-my/) [Alison Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-miller/) > [“Punishments include such things as flashbacks, flooding of unbearable emotions, painful body memories, flooding of memories in which the survivor perpetrated against others, self-harm,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-miller/punishments-include-such-things-as-flashbacks-flooding-of-unbearable/) [Alison Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-miller/) > [If you're worried about a kid and drug use, the safest, best thing to do is individual counseling or family therapy, none of which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/if-you-re-worried-about-a-kid-and-drug-use-the-safest-best-thing-to/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [How did Don Jackson influence the field of family therapy? 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Others have refined the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-fisch/how-did-don-jackson-influence-the-field-of-family-therapy-how-did/) [Richard Fisch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-fisch/) > [Why Family Therapy...because it deals with family pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-satir/why-family-therapy-because-it-deals-with-family-pain/) [Virginia Satir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-satir/) > [I'm getting my psychology degree with a focus on marriage and family therapy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-fishel/i-m-getting-my-psychology-degree-with-a-focus-on-marriage-and-family/) [Danielle Fishel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-fishel/) > [A growing body of clinical observation has pointed to the conclusion that the family therapy must be oriented to the family as a whole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-satir/a-growing-body-of-clinical-observation-has-pointed-to-the-conclusion/) [Virginia Satir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-satir/) > [“With families, I stopped creating encyclopedias of data about all their issues and began to search instead for the member with the greatest capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-h-friedman/with-families-i-stopped-creating-encyclopedias-of-data-about-all/) [Edwin H. Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-h-friedman/) > [“Now that she had the diagnosis to explain her sense of reality, she sorted some of the chaotic jumble of thoughts and memories. "I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-frances-casey/now-that-she-had-the-diagnosis-to-explain-her-sense-of-reality-she/) [Joan Frances Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-frances-casey/) ## More by Alison Miller > [“Ritually abusive groups also convince children that something evil has been put inside them. For example, a child is made to believe he or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-miller/ritually-abusive-groups-also-convince-children-that-something-evil/) [Alison Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-miller/) > [“What daily life is like for “a multiple” Imagine that you have periods of “lost time.” You may find writings or drawings which you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-miller/what-daily-life-is-like-for-a-multiple-imagine-that-you-have-periods/) [Alison Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-miller/) > [“Besides stage magic props and settings, ritually abusing groups use technology, such as that described by Katz and Fotheringham. 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My favorite quotation from such a client is, "We are not multiple, we made it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-miller/denial-is-commonly-found-among-persons-with-dissociative-disorders-my/) [Alison Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-miller/) > [“Also, look for “floating alters.” These are not deliberately created parts of the system, but alters that were accidentally split off at the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-miller/also-look-for-floating-alters-these-are-not-deliberately-created/) [Alison Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-miller/) > [“Then, suddenly, the work became dangerous, not only for clients but for therapists as well. A well-funded, highly organized opposition appeared, seemingly out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-miller/then-suddenly-the-work-became-dangerous-not-only-for-clients-but-for/) [Alison Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-miller/) > [“This book is dedicated to those who have died as a result of mind control and/or ritual abuse, and those who have lived when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-miller/this-book-is-dedicated-to-those-who-have-died-as-a-result-of-mind/) [Alison Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-miller/) [Explore all 31 Alison Miller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-miller/) ## More Abuse quotes > [I wrote when I was a young teen, but I didn't put an eye on the available markets until I was seventeen. The next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reed/i-wrote-when-i-was-a-young-teen-but-i-didn-t-put-an-eye-on-the/) [Robert Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reed/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [Being nice is okay,but don't allow anybody to abuse it...try to fight for your self when you know your on the right way...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-nice-is-okay-but-don-t-allow-anybody-to-abuse-it-try-to-fight/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Build a bridge over shame by teaching kids about sexual abuse. Give them a chance to run to us should they encounter it. Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-byers-ruch/build-a-bridge-over-shame-by-teaching-kids-about-sexual-abuse-give/) [Carolyn Byers Ruch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-byers-ruch/) > [It is sure that those are most desirous of honour or glory who cry out loudest of its abuse and the vanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/it-is-sure-that-those-are-most-desirous-of-honour-or-glory-who-cry/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [“The sole reason I stand to open it up now is that lots of people who are in pain just like I was, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/the-sole-reason-i-stand-to-open-it-up-now-is-that-lots-of-people-who/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [I have a theory that all abuse, no matter what kind of abuse it is, is foremost an assault on the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-have-a-theory-that-all-abuse-no-matter-what-kind-of-abuse-it-is-is/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) > [“Blaming therapy, social work and other caring professions for the confabulation of testimony of 'satanic ritual abuse' legitimated a programme of political and social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/blaming-therapy-social-work-and-other-caring-professions-for-the/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [Finally, the scariest thing about abuse of any shape or form, is, in my opinion, not the abuse itself, but that if it continues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/finally-the-scariest-thing-about-abuse-of-any-shape-or-form-is-in-my/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [“Research on organised abuse emphasises the diversity of organised abuse cases, and the ways in which serious forms of child maltreatment cluster in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/research-on-organised-abuse-emphasises-the-diversity-of-organised/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [“Stand up for yourself. Never give any one permission to abuse you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/stand-up-for-yourself-never-give-any-one-permission-to-abuse-you/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [All governments should be pressured to correct their abuses of human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/all-governments-should-be-pressured-to-correct-their-abuses-of-human/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [“Words are free. It does not mean you should abuse them. Be kind with them. They will mirror your actions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hadinet-tekie/words-are-free-it-does-not-mean-you-should-abuse-them-be-kind-with/) [Hadinet Tekie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hadinet-tekie/) > [My illness is one often characterized by dramatic overspending - in my case through frenzied shopping sprees, credit card abuse, excessive hoarding of unnecessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-behrman/my-illness-is-one-often-characterized-by-dramatic-overspending-in-my/) [Andy Behrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-behrman/) [Browse all 3,113 Abuse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I recently consulted to a therapist who felt he had accomplished something by getting his dissociative client to remain in her ANP throughout her sessions with him. His view reflects the fundamental mistake that untrained therapists tend to make with DID and DDNOS. Although his client was properly diagnosed, he assumed that the ANP should be encouraged to take charge of the other parts at all times. He also expected her to speak for them—in other words, to do their therapy. This denied the other parts the opportunity to reveal their secrets, heal their pain, or correct their childhood-based beliefs about the world. If you were doing family therapy, would it be a good idea to only meet with the father, especially if he had not talked with his children or his spouse in years? Would the other family members feel as if their experiences and feelings mattered? Would they be able to improve their relationships? You must work with the parts who are inside of the system. 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